Ricette di Sicilia
Cibo, cultura e tradizioni siciliane
Hearty Vegetable and Legume Soup: A Winter Warm-Up
Discover this comforting vegetable and legume soup – packed with flavour and goodness, perfect for chilly evenings.
📖 What is it
Discover this comforting vegetable and legume soup – packed with flavour and goodness, perfect for chilly evenings.
🛒 Ingredients
- ✓ a handful of dried broad beans
- ✓ a handful of borlotti beans
- ✓ 2 red onions
- ✓ 1 celery stalk
- ✓ 1 carrot
- ✓ 1 bay leaf
- ✓ 250 g wild fennel
- ✓ 100 g savoy cabbage
- ✓ 1 large potato
- ✓ 300 g chard and endive
- ✓ extra virgin olive oil
- ✓ salt
- ✓ freshly ground black pepper
📊 Nutritional Information
This vegetable and legume soup has deep roots in Sicilian peasant tradition, where humble, honest ingredients come together to create something truly special. The blend of fresh vegetables and legumes, lifted by the distinctive aroma of wild fennel, makes for a nourishing bowl full of character and health benefits. Ideal for those cold winter nights, this soup warms both heart and palate, wrapping you in a cosy culinary hug. Perfect if you're after a wholesome, satisfying meal, this recipe invites you to rediscover the charm of simple, authentic cooking that never fails to delight spoonful after spoonful.
👨🍳 Preparation
- 1
Soak the broad beans and borlotti beans separately in water with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda overnight.
- 2
After about 12 hours, drain the beans and cook them in lightly salted water with the onions quartered, the carrot chopped into chunks, the celery and bay leaf finely chopped.
- 3
Halfway through cooking, add the wild fennel, savoy cabbage, chard and endive, all roughly chopped, along with the potato cut into cubes.
- 4
Finish cooking, then season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil.
- 5
Serve the soup piping hot.
💡 Tips and Variations
For a bit of extra kick, try adding some freshly chopped chilli. You can also swap part of the chard for spinach to introduce a subtle sweetness.
📦 Storage
- • Keep refrigerated for up to 2 days.
- • The cooked soup can be frozen for up to a month.
- • Reheat gently in a saucepan before serving.
🍷 Pairing
Pair this vegetable and legume soup with a glass of Menfi Nero d'Avola, served chilled between 12 and 14°C.
Give this soul-warming Sicilian soup a try at home — it’s the perfect way to bring a touch of rustic Italian comfort to your table. Whether you’re sharing it with loved ones or simply enjoying a quiet evening in, it’s sure to become a firm favourite. Do let me know how you get on, and don’t forget to spread the joy by sharing it with family and friends!
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